Optimization of the study and design phases for objects such as vehicles for the purpose of reducing the development costs and time generally necessitates the employment of a specific information technology environment.
For example, the aerodynamic study of an aircraft involves numerous specialists working on different aspects of the same data, which aspects may or may not be related to one another. These specialists generally use different information technology tools as well as different machines for execution of the processes being employed. In addition, these specialists may be situated at different geographic locations.
It is therefore proving advantageous to employ an environment based on an open architecture that permits sharing of data and information technology resources, especially calculating resources. Preferably, such an environment should be adapted to a range of heterogeneous machines and operating systems.
It is also advantageous to use an interface that it makes it possible to access separate and different existing tools. Such a common interface should be adapted in particular to manage data that have to be exchanged between these tools as well as to permit easy selection of and access to the data.
In addition, the environment preferably should permit easy adaptation to future needs, such as integration of new tools, management of new types of data and production of new types of results.
Furthermore, there exists a need for data traceability in order to determine the origin of the produced data as well as their life cycle during the different modifications and uses in calculation or other processes.
To some extent, these problems are solved independently of one another.
For example, there exist software applications such as SynfiniWay, developed by the Fujitsu Corporation (SynfiniWay and Fujitsu are trademarks), that permit optimization of the execution of tasks in a heterogeneous environment. The SynfiniWay application makes it possible in particular to virtualize the global resources and to present the applications in the form of services linked by data sequences and dependences in order to automate the information technology processes.
Furthermore, there exist script languages such as Python and Java (Python and Java are trademarks) that make it possible to automate certain tasks and to call up existing tools. Python is a high-level, interpreted and object-oriented programming language. It may be used in numerous contexts and be adapted to numerous uses by means of specialized libraries.
For its part, data traceability is generally determined by the processes that led to the data. For example, in the applications of PDM type (initials for Product Data Management in English terminology), the user must follow predetermined processes without being able to deviate from them. The origin of a datum is therefore determined by the process that made it possible to obtain the datum.
However, a centralized and optimized environment does not exist for the study and design of systems in a heterogeneous open collaborative environment.
The invention makes it possible to solve at least one of the problems mentioned in the foregoing.
The object of the invention is therefore a method for data management in a collaborative service-oriented workshop, adapted to treat objects associated with data representative of real or process data, this method comprising the following steps:
accessing at least one datum representative of real or process data, stored in memory in a remote device;
extracting at least one information item characteristic of the said at least one datum according to a predetermined parameter; and
storing in memory the said at least one characteristic information item and a link to the said at least one datum in an object associated with the said at least one datum, the said object being stored in memory in a centralized storage zone.
The method according to the invention therefore makes it possible to manage data independently of their inherent characteristics, such as their nature, their storage location and their size, to permit global management thereof.
Advantageously, the method additionally comprises a step of receiving at least one complementary information item, the said complementary information item being stored in memory in the said object associated with the said at least one datum, to characterize the said at least one datum.
According to a particular embodiment, the said at least one characteristic information item comprises at least one attribute common to a plurality of data.
According to yet another particular embodiment, the said at least one characteristic information item comprises at least one attribute specific to the said at least one datum.
Preferably, the said object additionally comprises a link to a second object, separate from the said object known as first object, making it possible to link the objects with one another and in this way to offer the means for following a gradual relationship among a plurality of objects.
Advantageously, the method additionally comprises a step of determining the consistency of the said first object according to the said link to the said second object, making it possible to characterize an object according to predetermined rules.
According to a particular embodiment, the method additionally comprises the following steps:
selecting at least one object associated with data representative of a process;
determining, in the said object associated with data representative of the said process, a link to an object associated with data representative of real data employed by the said process;
executing the said process;
storing in memory, in the said object associated with data representative of the said real data employed by the said process, a link to the said object associated with data representative of the said process; and
storing in memory, in the said object associated with data representative of the said process, a link to the said object associated with data representative of the said real data employed by the said process.
The method according to the invention is therefore capable of executing processes represented by objects and of establishing links between the objects associated with the executed processes and the objects associated with the real data employed by the processes, or in other words, for example, used or produced by the processes.
Advantageously, the method additionally comprises the following steps:
creating data representative of real data;
creating an object associated with the said created data;
storing in memory, in the said created object, a link to the said object associated with data representative of the said process; and
storing in memory, in the said object associated with data representative of the said process, a link to the said created object.
The method according to the invention is therefore capable of executing processes represented by objects, of producing new real data, of creating objects associated with these new real data and of establishing links between the objects associated with the executed processes and the created objects associated with the new real data.
According to a particular embodiment, at least one of the said objects is stored in memory in the form of at least one table or at least one XML file.
Another object of the invention is a computer program comprising instructions adapted to the employment of each of the steps of the method described in the foregoing.